Indirect lighting projector producing transversely elongated light beams



July 25, 19-50 F. p. F'lNK 2.

INDIRECT LIGHTING PROJECTOR PRODUCING TRANSVERSELY ELONGATED LIGHT BEAMSFiled May 22, 1946 Patented July 25, 1950 I 2,516,377

" INDI-fiEGTmIGHTiNG PROJECTOR monoc- \JI'N'G rRANsvEasELY ELONG'ATED"men-'1 'BEAMS F'raiik 'PiFihlr, Valley Stream, N. Y.Applitaet'tihmMayQZ, 1946, Serial No. 671,497

" 6"Ciaiiiis. (01. 24044111) 2 This invention relates-generally toreflectors embodying; my invention, parts being broken and moreparticularly to :those which-produce away to facilitate-description;

transversely elongated-beams. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section taken onthe Generally, reflectors used with --.a small unit plane indicated bythe line2-"-2 in-Fig. l;

ray-emitting source are of the -paraboloidal--sur- H Fig. 3 is atransverse section taken-on the plane face type, andcastabeamsuhstantiallyeircular indicated-by the line -3-3 in--Fig. 2. incross section. Such; reflectors are used in Figs. 4 and 5-aresectionsshowing modifications directing light, heat, infrared and other rays. oftheheadlight and reflectorsystemshown :in

The customary automobile headlight is of this Fig. l, andare-taken onthe same plane-as that circular beam reflector type and will be used/ ofthe ectioned-portion of -Fig.-1.

as an example to -illustrate the distinctionand I For purposes ofillustration, "the drawin'gs advantages of the present invention oversuch show the invention embodied in-anautomobile prior art. 7 headlightwhereby the annoyance-and hazardrof The circular beamjofthecustomary-headlight glare on the eyes ofa passing -driver-isen-tirelythrows many rays from 'the upper rpart of the is eliminated orminimized'to 'a'degree which is reflector which cause disturbing glarepn the conductive to; safe 'and pleasant driving.

eyes of the operator of an oncoming car. it also The headlight,indicated generallyby the nucasts many unessential rays fromthelowerpart meral I0, cqmprisesprincipallyra primaryelliptic of therefiectorwhich have incidence withthe paraboloid-ellipsoidal reflectorII, a secondary road close to the headlight and f-are reflectedelongatedccncaverefiector l2-and a light sou'rce sharply upward from-awet -pavment'orthe like or lamp [3. v to cause additional glare andannoyance to the The term elliptic -paraboloid-ellipseidal is operatorof the oncoming car without egiving used to express as closely aspossibl'e 'thea shape benefit to the operator'ofthe'offending car. ofthe primary reflector l. v

The present invention will =prov-ide a beam, :5 As-show-n in Fig.3,-sectionsthrough this retransversely elongated so that the 1ipper andflector takennormaltoalongitudinal -plane- FP,

lower rays abovementioned' are reduced and-the passed through=the-light---source ll3-and -a focal illumination is spread in a relatively;wider axi 'FA of the reflector ll (Eig.--2),;are--substanclearlydefined beam having --substantially --no tial ly elliptical. -A sectionof-this reflector-shown glare and providing better lateral illuminationin Fig. 3' is also elliptical as are other parallel of the road.sections taken normal to the rnajor axisof=the Another objectpf theinvention is the pro elliptical section of- Fig. 3. -InFig.' 2,--the-source vision of a pair of cooperating reflectors, one of l3;islocated atone focus point of th e ellipse "which distributes the"radiationsffrom-a 'single and the-other focus point lies onthefocaL-axis,

source of light, heat or the like through a fooal Both fgcirlieintheplaneFP. This-plane axis. is shown in Fig-.2; as lying at an acuteangle --to A further object of the invention is the prothe verticalaxis, -VA, of the headlight. The-injection oiradiations in abeam-ofwhollyrefle'cted vention is not intended to be limited to such anrays. Such rays are readily :subd-ued b'y polarizarrangement of parts.For instance this angle 'ing glass in lenses or Windshields so th'atstray may be greater or less than that shown and in radiations, if any,may be themore easily 'rnade some-forms of the inyention thevertical-axis-VA undisturbing to the eye of motorists who use may lieinthe plane FP.

such protective means. Parallel sections-takennormal to the minor Stillanother object is the 'utilization hi he axis ofthereflector;sectionshown inFig. 3-are reflector system of thepresent'inventiont substantially parabolicalas indicatedin -Figs. 1,duce a non-glaring headlight forautonrobilesmhd land5. g the likewhereby thesafety, pleasure and efil- I The surface of primary reflector=may-also ciency of night driving are increased. y-bedescribed as all orpajrt-ofthat surfacefor-med Many additional objects and advantages- 6fby variable parallel ell-ipses following as directhe invention will beapparent ajs thfiil'ldfiiing trices-a, partial-ellipse ontheplane-ofthearninor description of a preferred embodiment of the axes, andaparabola on -.the major-axes of the invention is read in connectionwith the accomsaid parallebellipses. I w

panying drawings. This surface ll will reflect rays from-so'urceReferring to the drawings: 13. These reflected rays, indicated 'at A, A,

Fig. 1 i a front elevational view of a headlight intersect substantiallyon the focal axis FA as tudinal planes} shown in Fig. 2, but they willbe substantially parallel, one to the other, when viewed as in Fig. 1.However, in some adaptations of the invention the surface H may beformed so that the rays reflected therefrom will diverge as indicated atC in Fig. 4, or converge as at D in Fig. 5.

When reflected from the secondary reflector 12, the rays from primaryreflector l I are directed laterally of plane FP in substantiallyparallel relationship as indicated at B, B in Fig. 2 to for atransversely elongated beam E of wholly reflected light. Obviously,reflector 12 may be so shaped that rays reflected therefrom may divergeas shown at F in Fig. 4, or converge as at G in Fig. 5.

Some light from source 13 is not directed toward the primary surface ll,but is directed toward the secondary surface 12 and other surfaceswithin the shell. To utilize this random light and avoid incidentalinequality of illumination in the beam E; arandom ray reflecting surneednot be, totally reflecting. The whole interior of the shell l6 may besealed in any suitable known manner, as by a gasket 58, and a plain orpolarizing glass window [-9.

Lugs may be formed on the shell and the headlight I0 thereby secured toan automobile fender 2! in any desired manner. 1

I have described my invention" as adapted to an automobile headlight butit is readily adaptable to many other purposes. For instance, the

reflector l I, withor without one or both surfaces 12 and I5, may beused to reflect radiant energy such as heat, infrared rays and the likein therapeutical'orother devices to spread the rays over the body orother surface in an area transversely elongated relative to the beam.

It is believed that the invention and many of its advantages will beunderstood from the foregoing description, and that numerous changes maybe made in the form, construction and arrangement of the parts withinthe spirit and scope of the invention, the form hereinabove describedbeing; merely a preferred embodiment thereof.

I claim: 7

1. An automobile headlight comprising a primary ellipticparaboloidellipsoidal reflector, said primary reflector having a focuspoint and a focal axis lying in a longitudinal plane, each section ofsaid primary reflector taken normal to said longitudinah plane beingsubstantially an ellipse with its major axis also lying in saidlongitudinal plane, a light source at said focus point and aseco'ndaryreflectpr locatedbeyond said focal axis of saidprimaryreflector adapted to reflect the raysfrom said primary reflectorin a transversely elongated beamand in a direction at substantiallyright angle's' tosaid longi- 2. An automobile headlight comprising ashell,

a primary elliptic paraboloid-ellipsoidal reflector in one end thereof,said primary reflector having a focus point and a focal axis lying in alongitudinal plane, each section of said primary reflector taken normalto said longitudinal plane being substantially an ellipse with its majoraxis also lying in said longitudinal plane, a secondary reflector in theopposite end of said shell adapted to receive rays reflected thereto bysaid primary reflector from a light source at said focus point throughsaid focal axis, and to direct said rays laterally of said longitudinalplane in a transversely elongated beam.

3. An automobile headlight comprising a shell, a primary ellipticparaboloid-ellipsoidal reflector in one end of said shell, said primaryreflector having a focus point and a focal axis lying in a'longitudinalplane, each section of said primary reflector taken normal to saidlongitudinal plane being substantially an ellipse with its major axisalso lying in said longitudinal plane, a light source at said focuspoint, a cylindroconcave reflector mounted in the opposite end of saidshell beyond said focal axis and adapted to deflect the light rayslaterally of the longitudinal plane in a transversely elongated beam.

4. An automobile headlight as characterized in claim 3 provided with arandom ray reflector adjacent said source tothrow back upon saidelliptic reflector all rays not directly cast upon it from said source.

5. An automobile headlight a characterized in claim 3 provided with alight absorbing surface adjacent said source to absorb substantially allrays from said source not cast directly upon said elliptic reflector.

6. In a reflector system, the combination of a primary ellipticparaboloid-ellipsoidal reflector having a focal point and a focal axislying in a longitudinal plane, the major axes of all transverse sectionsof said reflector lying in a plane coincident with said longitudinalplane, said axes being also parallel with said focal axis, and asecondary reflector disposed beyond said focal axis to receive rays fromsaid primary reflector passed through said axis and to reflect themlaterally at substantially right angles to said longitudinal plane.

FRANK P. FINK.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

